Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has characterized Donald Trump's decision to roll back sanctions on Russia as a "reward" for Vladimir Putin, according to The Guardian. Zelenskyy warned the move will embolden the Russian leader and intensify the Kremlin's war against Ukraine.
The statement came as Moscow launched what The Guardian describes as one of its worst strikes yet on Ukraine's power plants. The source indicates Russia is attempting to black out Ukrainian cities before winter.
Zelenskyy expressed concern about further sanctions relief. He said he expected the Trump administration to lift more sanctions against Russia in the future, according to The Guardian.
The Ukrainian president also called for Europe to establish its own negotiations with Moscow. This came as The Guardian reports the US has sought better ties and business deals with the Kremlin.
The source material does not provide specific details about which sanctions Trump rolled back, when the decision was made, or the scale of the Russian strike on power infrastructure. The Guardian reports that power plant attacks reflect what it characterizes as a Russian blueprint to make Ukrainian cities unlivable, but the source excerpt does not elaborate on the timing, locations or damage from the latest strikes.
Zelenskyy's characterization of the sanctions pause as a reward represents his interpretation of Trump's policy shift. The source does not include Trump administration statements explaining the reasoning behind the decision or responses to Zelenskyy's criticism.